Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Subaru Sumeragi, age 16, is a clan leader, one of Japan's most powerful onmyouji (a kind of seer with esoteric powers), and, with his twin sister Hokuto, one of the guardians protecting the people of Tokyo from supernatural menaces, a duty his family has carried out for centuries. The situations the kindly teen and his cheerfully eccentric sister face range from the tragic to the overtly threatening, from simple hauntings to demonically possessed clothes. Although this volume is episodic, hints of a grander arc are visible by the end. Tokyo Babylon is set in those glory days before Japan's Lost Decade in the 1990s, a time when the country's economy seemed unassailable. The story-as created by the famed comics collective CLAMP-evokes that confident era effectively, with Subaru's and Hokuto's optimism paralleling its naivety, while other characters, less lucky in their situations, reveal the darker side of Japan's society. While the stores are fantastic, the social commentaries are not. Although now over 20 years old, it's still an exciting story, with CLAMP's signature fluid, fast-paced art. (Mar.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
This new omnibus contains the first half of Tokyo Babylon, a prequel to CLAMP's unfinished manga series "X." Teenager Subaru Sumeragi is the 13th leader of the Sumeragi onmyoji clan. As a trained onmyoji, Subaru very carefully uses his occult powers to protect the living and put the unhappy dead to rest. While Subaru confronts demons and ghosts, his twin sister, Hokuto, provides comic relief by urging him to form a relationship with their older friend Seishiro Sakurazuka. Although Seishiro jokingly plays along, it appears he may be serious in his affection for Subaru. However, Hokuto and Subaru suspect that Seishiro may have ties to the Sakurazukamori, ancient assassin enemies of the Sumeragi clan. Whether Seishiro is hiding something darker beneath his happy-go-lucky exterior remains to be seen. Verdict Old CLAMP fans will rejoice at this omnibus reissue with its clear, smooth printing, and first-timers will be equally impressed with CLAMP's intricate style. The English translation is clever and seamless. Recommended to old and new manga fans and those who like a creepy yet not too violent ghost story.-Heather Williams, Whatcom Community Coll., Bellingham, WA (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
